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Infusing creativity into a college course: a pilot study
1Department of Psychology, Elizabethtown College, Elizabethtown, PA, United States.
Abstract:
Creativity is an essential skill which has been undervalued in higher education. Creativity is increasingly important to both educators and employers, yet several obstacles challenge its inclusion in college curriculum, including student and faculty misconceptions, and lack of models of how to integrate creativity into college courses. This pilot study designed and evaluated a creativity-infused version of a traditional college course, implementing numerous evidence-based best practices in fostering creativity from the psychological literature on the subject. Details on creativity activities, assignments, and assessments are described, including the "Minute Meme," the "Innovative Illustration" assignment, the "Creative Correction" assignment, and the "Creative Paper Project." A small pilot study showed preliminary evidence for the effectiveness of the intervention for students' self-efficacy and growth mindset about creativity. Students also provided positive reviews of the intervention activities. Guidance on how to adapt these types of activities into courses in any discipline is provided, and suggestions for specific future research studies to further evaluate the effectiveness of this approach are discussed.
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